The Federal Reserve Bank of New York works to promote sound and well-functioning financial systems and markets through its provision of industry and payment services, advancement of infrastructure reform in key markets and training and educational support to international institutions.

The Outreach and Education function engages, empowers and educates the Second District communities that the Bank serves, especially civic leaders, students, educators, small business owners, policymakers and the general public. It furthers the Bank's commitment to the region by listening to the communities we serve and leveraging our unique attributes to positively impact school and university programs, as well as analysis and research.

The federal bank, credit union, and thrift supervisory agencies, along with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, announced the availability of the 2006 home loan data disclosed under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA).

HMDA requires most mortgage lenders located in metropolitan areas to collect data about their housing-related lending activity, report the data annually to the government, and make the data publicly available in a modified Loan Application Register.

Lenders are required to make these data available to the public, within thirty days after receiving a request, after removing certain information to protect the privacy of applicants and borrowers.

More information about HMDA data is available on the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) website. The FFIEC will release a summary of statistical reports for each lender and an aggregate report for each Metropolitan Statistical Area in September.